Highway guardrail construction



April 27, 1937. w. R. BAXTER HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 16, 1953 viii fliiifllil! ilifvlllflllllll i.

INVENTOR.

ZM7/lazq F Bax fer- Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL CONSTRUCTION William R. Baxter, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Empire Plow Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 651,971

21 Claims.

Highway guard rails when struck by an automobile at high speed are called upon to withstand an enormous load. Heretofore it has been customary to apply coil springs or open expanding springs between the posts and the rail. I have found however, that a compression coil spring tends to excessively localize the energy on the individual post, and an open expanding type of spring opposes progressively less resistance instead of a maintained or increased resistance. In accordance with my invention, a construction may now be had which particularly facilitates dissipation of shock along the system, and protects the individual post by well sustained resistance. Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a guard rail construction in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail; Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing further constructional features; Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the same; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

there is shown a longitudinal or guard rail member on suitable support means, which may be posts, or in some cases bridge-elements already existent, as requirements dictate in particular installations, and illustrated for instance as posts 3. The guard rail member may be any suitably strong material, as bar, cable, wire mesh, plate, etc., as may be preferred in any given situation, some being more effective than others. It preferably has some resiliency in itself, and in a desirable form may be a sheet metal or plate metal member extending longitudinally and in front'of the supporting means. Resilient end 0 take-up anchorages are provided, for instance as springs 4 interposed between the anchor post and a retaining yoke 5 against which nuts 6 are adjustably engaged on the screw-threaded ends of the stems I. Interposed between the supporting means or posts 3 and the guard rail m ber 2 are resilient closed ring members 8 of more or less circular section, these being held to the posts or supports, while the rail 2 is connected in such manner as to allow longitudinal play. As illustrated in enlarged showing in Figs. 3 and 4, such resilient closed ring members may take the form of a sheet metal closed band 8 held to the post 3 by bolts 9. The closed band-members 8 are of resilient spring sheet or plate stock, and may be maintained in their closed position by the bolts passing through aligned holes I 0 in the over-lapping margins. Desirably, the bolt holes I 0 areelongated in vertical direction, so as to facilitate a measure of compensative adjustment in leveling up on installing. As a means for retaining the guard rail member 2 in connection with the resilient closed ring members 8, a clipmeans ll allowing free relative slippage is provided. In the form shown in Fig. 3 this is a metal bar bent over at each end to form an engaging lug l2 which rides inside of the closed band member 8, and outside of the rail member 2 riding freely on both, with aresult that the guard rail may slide longitudinally in front of the closed band member 8, and if deflected by impact out of its normal plane, being capable of sliding around with the clip ll through quite an arc on the circumference of the closed band member 8, as indicated in dotted line position in Fig. 2.

In some cases, particularly where a considerable stretch of ground has to be covered,-I may also introduce longitudinal tensioning spring means at a point or points between the ends. Such means may desirably take the form of a longitudinally compensative spring, such for instance as coil spring l3, which may be connected to the guard rail member 2 by suitable means, as an arm-extension l4 fastened to the guard rail member and connecting to the eye of a bolt l5 riding within the spring l3, the latter being positioned between the post 3 and a yoke 5 held by take-up nuts on the screw-threaded end of the bolt. It will be understood that the bolt members I 5 are freely slidable through appropriate holes in the post. Desirably, a companion springanchorage is located adjacent that just described, and directed oppositely, as for instance the spring-member IS on the bolt-member l5 which likewise is connected to an arm-extension I4 secured to the guard rail member 2. Bracing members IE, IT, are advantageously positioned between the adjacent posts at such point.

The manner of operation of my guard rail construction will be readily apparent. Normally, the guard rail member is maintained in aligned osition alongside a high-way, and in the event of impact by an automobile, yields at such point more or less, depending upon the angle and force of the blow, yielding being permitted by the resilient character of the construction and the mounting. Since the guard rail member is longitudinally movable, the stress of impact is distributed along the system and progressively damped out, instead of being concentrated wholly at the point of impact. The manner of engagement between the supporting means and the guard rail'member makes possible in particular a graduated yielding action, the guard rail not only being allowed to slide past the closed-band members, but the latter also contributing in movement longitudinally and transversely. A ramifled shock-absorber system of stress-distribution isthus had, which minimizes damage to both automobile and guard rail establishment.

Instead of arranging longitudinal-tensioning means in more or less open exposure, in some in stances I prefer a protected arrangement. As indicated in Fig. 7, this may comprise in conjunction with the series of supporting means or posts 3a, and the longitudinal guard rail member 2a, a longitudinal-tensioning means such as springs 4a on stems 1a carried by supports or posts 3a., a protecting housing member l6 being provided at the back and secured to the rail member 2a, enclosing and completing a bearing means for the springs as confined also by the yoke a. A convenient form for the housing may involve a suitably heavy sheet metal stirrup-like enclosure extending from the end of the rail 2a and perforated for the stems or bolts Ia. With the springs 4a between the stirrup and the yoke in, any slight adjustment desired may be had by the nuts on the ends of the stems 1a against the yoke. Resilient means for connecting the rail member to the support means in may be incorporated, and preferably will be in the form of resilient closed ring members 8 as above-described.

It will, of course, be realized that the housing l6 shown in Fig. '7, and the spring assembly shown in this figure, may be used in the constructions illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and Gas I have previously stated that my improved guard rail construction may be used interchangeably with either wooden posts 3 or metallic supports 30. This construction has many important advantages, the most outstanding of which is the location of the spring between an end post and an adjacent post of the series of posts. Obviously, the spring does not project outwardly in. an unprotected manner, and adjustment of the spring is easily obtained by turning the bolt head on the stem la. Additional protective means are provided in the form of the housing I6 so that the spring is doubly guarded and in the event of impact at this point no projecting bolts will strike the impacting vehicle. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a tensioned guard rail in which'the tensioning means cannot seriously damage a vehicle upon impact.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the means stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:-

1. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring members, supporting means therefor, and a rail ex n g m closed ring member to closed ring member movable independently thereof.

2. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring members, supporting means therefor, and a longitudinally slidable rail backed and supported by said closed ring members.

. 3. A guard rail construction, comprising guard rail supporting means and a longitudinally slidable guard rail having end spring anchorage, and a longitudinally tensioning spring at a point between ends.

4. A guard rail construction, comprising guard rail supporting means and a longitudinally slidable sheet metal guard rail having end spring anchorage, an arm extension from said rail at a point between ends, and a spring anchorage therefor.

5. A guard rail construction, comprising a longitudinal rail means, supporting means, resilient closed ring members between said rail means and said supporting means, a spring for longitudinally tensioning said ra'il means, and means for protecting said spring.

6. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed band.- members mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal rail member extending along in front of said closed band-members and a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each closed band-member and enclosing the rail member.

7. A guard rail construction, comprising guard rail supporting means and a longitudinally slidable guard rail having end spring anchorage, an arm-extension from said rail at a point between ends, a spring anchorage therefor, another armextension from said rail near said'first-named arm-extension, and a spring anchorage for said second-mentioned arm-extension.

8. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members, supporting means therefor, a longitudinally independently movable rail supported in front of said resilient closed ring-members, and a longitudinal tensioning end spring for said guard rafl.

9. A guard rail construction, comprising a longitudinal sheet metal rail, resilient closed ring members backing said rail and clips embracing said ring members and rail for permitting longitudinal movement, a spring for longitudinally tensioning the rail, and a sheet metal housing about said spring and forming a connection to the rail.

10. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members, supporting means therefor, a longitudinally movable rail chorage therefor.

12. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members'supporting means therefor, a longitudinally movable rail supported in front of said resilient closed ringmembers, a longitudinal tensioning end spring for said guard rail, adjacent arm-extensions from said rail at a point between ends, and oppositelydirected spring anchorages for said arm-extensions.

13. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed band members mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal guard rail member extending along in front of said closed band members, a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each closed band member and enclosing the rail member, and end spring anchorage for said rail member.

14. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed band members mounted along said supporting means,

, a sheet metal guard rail member extending along in front of said closed band members, a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each closed band member and enclosing the rail member, end spring anchorage for said rail member, and a longitudinal tensioning spring at a point between ends.

15. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed band members mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal guard rail member extending along in front of said closed band members, a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each closed band member and enclosing the rail member, end spring anchorage for said rail member, a pair of adjacent arm-extensions from said rail at a point between ends, and oppositely directed spring anchorages for said armextensions.

16. A guard rail comprising a series of posts, a series of ring members attached to said posts, and a rail extending from ring member to ring member, and means slidably embracing said ring member and said rail to support said rail.

17. A guard rail comprising a series of posts, a series of ring members attached to said posts, and a rail extending from ring member to ring member, and means slidably embracing said ring member to support said rail.

18. A guard rail comprising a series of posts, a series of ring members attached to said posts, and a rail extending from ring member to ring member, and means embracing said ring member and slidably embracing said rail to support said rail.

19. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a longitudinal sheet metal rail, closed ring members backing said rail and clips embracing said ring members and rail for permitting longitudinal movement of said rail with respect to said supporting means and a spring longitudinally tensioning said rail.

20. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of supporting posts, a longitudinal sheet metal rail, ring means supporting said rail with respect to said posts, and a spring longitudinally tensioning said rail, said spring being located between an end post of said series of posts and an adjacent post and means protecting said spring from direct impact.

21. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of supporting posts, rail supporting members, and a longitudinal sheet metal rail, said rail extending in front of said posts, means permitting movement of said rail with respect to said members comprising guide clips slidably embracing said rail and said members whereby arcuate movement of said clip is obtained under impact.

WILLIAM R. BAX'I'ER. 

